| Metropolitan Area Residents |
| 1980: | 954,000 |
| 1990: | 949,012 |
| 2000: | 1,025,598 |
| Percent change, 1990–2000: | 8.1% |
| U.S. rank in 1980: | 38th |
| U.S. rank in 1990: | 43rd U.S. rank in 2000: 49th |
| City Residents |
| 1980: | 298,694 |
| 1990: | 269,555 |
| 2000: | 256,231 |
| 2003 estimate: | 248,762 |
| Percent change, 1990–2000: | −5.0% |
| U.S. rank in 1980: | 49th |
| U.S. rank in 1990: | 58th |
| U.S. rank in 2000: | 69th (State rank: 1st) |
| Density: | 4,124.9 people per square mile (2000) |
| Racial and ethnic characteristics | (2000) |
| White | 161,261 |
| Black or African American | 84,586 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 578 |
| Asian | 3,705 |
| Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander | 111 |
| Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race) | 4,755 |
| Other | 1,709 |
| Percent of residents born in state: | 75.6% (2000) |
| Age characteristics | (2000) |
| Population under 5 years old | 16,926 |
| Population 5 to 9 years old | 17,359 |
| Population 10 to 14 years old | 16,627 |
| Population 15 to 19 years old | 17,362 |
| Population 20 to 24 years old | 18,923 |
| Population 25 to 34 years old | 37,541 |
| Population 35 to 44 years old | 40,354 |
| Population 45 to 54 years old | 33,755 |
| Population 55 to 59 years old | 10,716 |
| Population 60 to 64 years old | 9,211 |
| Population 65 to 74 years old | 18,577 |
| Population 85 years and older | 5,075 |
| Median age | 35.8 years |
| Births | (Jefferson County, 2000) |
| Total number | 9,565 |
| Deaths | (Jefferson County, 2000) |
| Total number | 7,158 (of which, 113 were infants under the age of 1 year) |
| Money income | (1999) |
| Per capita income | $18,193 |
| Median household income | $28,843 |
| Total households | 111,414 |
| Number of households with income of . . . | |
| less than $10,000 | 19,542 |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 10,471 |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 18,883 |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 16,258 |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 17,695 |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 15,227 |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 6,654 |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 3,990 |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 1,193 |
| $200,000 or more | 1,471 |
| Percent of families below poverty level: | 21.6% (61.7% of which were female householder families with related children under 5 years) |
| 2002 FBI Crime Index Total: | 15,439 |
